Pasta with Shrimp and Bacon

The Yin and Yang of Food

After surgery or illness have you ever been restricted to a bland diet? You end up eating food that is all the same texture and color. My cat is perfectly content to eat the same kibble day in and day out. But we humans are always looking for some excitement in our meals. It's that lack of "sameness", the contrasts, that make our foods interesting.

Yesterday I made one of those yin-and-yang meals, and it happened quite by accident. It all started with bacon. I had fresh shrimp and some fettuccine--always a good start. I love shrimp because it cooks quickly and can be taken in so many different directions--with a bit of soy sauce and spices you have an Asian-inspired meal, with cardamon you are dining in Morocco, or with chilies and tomatillos you are south of the border.

But yesterday I had some bacon in the frig that would soon be past its prime. I also had a few mushrooms about to expire. So I started to think about combining bacon and mushrooms and shrimp. Sure, you can always wrap bacon around shrimp and toss them on the grill, but I wanted to do something in the kitchen (dang, it's cold out there!) So here's what happened:

Pasta with Shrimp and Bacon

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound pasta of your choice
• 4 slices of honey-maple cured bacon, diced
• 1 cup crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic
• parsley, about 1/2 cup (tops only)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, diced
• Zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1 pound of shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano or Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Fill a large cooking pot with water and set over high heat to bring to a boil to cook the pasta. (I used fettuccine, but you could use whatever type of pasta you have on hand.) Cook pasta according to package directions; save 1/2 cup of the cooking water then drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Place the bacon in a large sauté pan, and cook it until it is crisped. Remove it from the pan and set aside. Add the mushroom slices and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Place the garlic, parsley, walnuts, and lemon zest into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the garlic is pulverized and the walnuts are finely minced.
4. Heat the sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add shrimp to pan and cook until pink, about 4 minutes. Return cooked bacon and mushrooms to sauté pan. Add garlic/walnut mixture and stir together over medium heat. Add cooked pasta to pan. Stir in 1/2 cup of reserved pasta-cooking water. Season to taste with salt and/or pepper if desired. If you like a bit more heat with your meal add a pinch of red pepper flakes.

So Why is This Recipe Different?

Sweet shrimp play against the salty taste of the bacon. Acidic lemon vs. the bite of garlic. Toothsome pasta vs. crisp parsley. The crunch of walnuts vs. the creaminess of romano cheese.

The point isn't to use these specific ingredients. Just think about complements and contrasts in your everyday meals. If you don't have shrimp, substitute chicken. If you don't have parsley, use another fresh herb. No romano? Any other firm cheese would do. No bacon? What else is hiding in your frig that might impart a smoky taste? Perhaps a bit of sausage or kielbasa?

By the way, the husband all but licked the pan. I hope you can find a way to make this dish your own and enjoy it too!

Source: Image by Jumi Kang from Pixabay